Word Origin & History

zenith late 14c., from O.Fr. cenith (Fr. zénith), from M.L. cenit, senit, bungled scribal transliteration of Arabic samt "road, path," abbreviation of samt ar-ras, lit. "the way over the head." Letter -m- misread as -ni-. The M.L. word may as well be influenced by the rough agreement of the Arabic term with classical L. semita "sidetrack, side path" (notion of "thing going off to the side"), from se- "apart" + *mi-ta-, suffixed zero-grade form of PIE base *mei- "to change" (see mutable)

Example Sentences for zenith

The Gladstone period had passed its zenith and its decadence had already begun.

But no human being had interfered with their journey, and their hopes rose to the zenith.

At the moment of his return to Thessaly he had reached the zenith of his greatness.

Now these Phliasians were friends of Lacedaemon while at the zenith of her power.

The Cherubim and Seraphim have wings that elevate them above our zenith.

It was at the zenith of its height during the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.

Why are you still afraid, now that you're at the zenith of your hopes?

The sun was at its zenith, as he passed above the Mallory place.

Early in June it reached the same distance from the zenith which it had in December.

The sunset had been red, and it left a colour that flared to the zenith.